Vapor chamber structure having stretchable heated part

ABSTRACT

A vapor chamber structure includes a plate-shaped shell and at least one stretchable heated member. The plate-shaped shell has a hollow interior to form a cavity and has a base on which at least one throughhole is disposed. The throughhole communicates with the cavity. The stretchable heated member is disposed on the base of the plate-shaped shell. The stretchable heated member includes a heated plate and a hollow stretchable tube. The heated plate is sealedly connected to one end of the stretchable tube and the throughhole of the plate-shaped shell is sealedly connected to the other end of the stretchable tube.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a plate type heat exchanger, inparticular, to a vapor chamber structure having at least one stretchableheated part.

Description of Related Art

With the rapid development in the computer industry, many heatgenerating electronic devices applied in the computer such as the CPUsof the computers or the GPUs of the graphic cards have enhancedprocessing capability and consequently suffer the issue of overheating,which has been becoming a topic to be solved in the modern heatdissipation technology.

Thus, the design of heat dissipation or heat transfer for numerous heatsources to meet the requirements of heat dissipation and heat transferis a necessary and important technique. In particular, when the numerousheat generating devices are located at different elevations, the heatedcontact surface of each of the heat dissipation or heat transfer devicesis also adjusted to fit the different elevations accordingly. As for thetraditional remedy for the above issue, in general, a tailor-made way isused. That is, the heat dissipation or heat transfer device with asingle specification is used, which can only fit the correspondingelectronic product. Once the elevation of any heat generating device inthe electronic product is changed or adjusted, the heat dissipation orheat transfer device with the single specification is not valid anymore. A new one has to be tailored. Further, though the heat exchangetask such as heat dissipation or heat transfer can be performed for thenumerous heat generating devices, sometimes the working fluid insidecannot be ensured to flow back due to a variety of applicableconditions. As a result, the vapor chamber will dry out easily,affecting the heat transfer efficiency or operation stability thereofand worse, losing the effect of heat transfer.

In view of this, the inventor pays special attention to research withthe application of related theory and tries to overcome the abovedisadvantages regarding the above related art. Finally, the inventorproposes the invention which is a reasonable design and overcomes theabove disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a main objective of the present invention to provide a vaporchamber structure having at least one stretchable heated part, which canadjust the heated contact surface with each individual heat generatingdevice depending on the elevation of each individual heat generatingdevice. Further, the applicable scope of the vapor chamber with a singlespecification is widened and the contact effect between each heatedsurface and each heat generating device is also increased. Accordingly,a single vapor chamber can perform heat exchange for many heatgenerating devices at the same time. Also, the present invention can beapplied to a single heat generating device in which the heatinggenerating device is awkward to be contacted due to the elevations ofthe electronic devices surrounding the heat generating device.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a vaporchamber structure having at least one stretchable heated part, which canadjust the heated contact surface with each individual heat generatingdevice depending on the elevation of each individual heat generatingdevice to ensure the working fluid in the vapor chamber can flow backefficiently to prevent the vapor chamber from drying out and beingdamaged.

In order to achieve the above main objective, the present inventionprovides a vapor chamber structure, which comprises a plate-shaped shelland at least one stretchable heated member. The plate-shaped shell has ahollow interior to form a cavity. The plate-shaped shell has a base onwhich at least one throughhole is disposed and the throughholecommunicates with the cavity. The at least one stretchable heated memberis disposed on the base of the plate-shaped shell. The at least onestretchable heated member comprises a heated plate and a hollowstretchable tube. The heated plate is sealedly connected to one end ofthe stretchable tube and the at least one throughhole of theplate-shaped shell is sealedly connected to the other end of thestretchable tube.

In order to achieve the above another objective, the present inventionalso provides a vapor chamber structure having at least one stretchableheated part which further comprises a capillary structure assemblyhaving a plurality of capillary structures which are floatinglyconnected to one another and are in turn connected between the at leastone stretchable heated member and the plate-shaped shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a local cross-sectional view of the internal structure of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a magnifying view of area A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an internal cross-sectional view of the present invention invertical operation;

FIG. 5 is a detailed magnifying view of area B in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed local magnifying view according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To further disclose the characteristics and technical details of thepresent invention, please refer to the following detailed descriptionand accompanying figures. However, the accompanying figures are only forreference and explanation, but not to limit the scope of the presentinvention.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, which are the perspective schematic viewof the present invention and the local cross-sectional view of theinternal structure of the present invention, respectively. The presentinvention provides a vapor chamber structure having a stretchable heatedpart which helps perform heat exchange for heat generating devices 4(shown in FIG. 4) such as the CPUs of the computers or the GPUs of thegraphic cards. The present invention is also applicable to a pluralityof heat generating devices 4 with the contact surfaces located atdifferent elevations or to a single heat generating device in which theheating generating is not easily to be contacted due to the elevationsof the electronic devices surrounding the heat generating device. Thevapor chamber structure comprises a plate-shaped shell 1 and at leastone stretchable heated member 2.

Please also refer to FIG. 3. The plate-shaped shell 1 has a hollowinterior which is sealed. In the current embodiment of the presentinvention, the plate-shaped shell 1 is formed by stacking a lower plate10 and an upper plate 11. The hollow interior of the plate-shaped shell1 forms a cavity 12 between the lower plate 10 and the upper plate 11.The cavity 12 is used to be filled with adequate working fluid (nowshown) and then sealed. The internal wall of the cavity 12 is coveredwith a wick structure layer 120 which can be made of metal mesh orsintered powder. Please also refer to FIGS. 4 and 5. The presentinvention mainly provides at least one stretchable heated member 2 onthe vapor chamber in which the stretchable heated member 2 can deformflexibly to fit the elevation of the heat generating device 4. Thenumber and locations of the stretchable heated members 2 can be disposeddepending on those of the heat generating devices 4 in a real situation,but the minimal number of stretchable heated members 2 is one. Thestretchable heated member 2 is disposed on the base 100 of theplate-shaped shell 1. The stretchable heated member 2 comprises a heatedplate 20 and a hollow stretchable tube 21. The external surface of theheated plate 20 is used to contact the upper surface of the heatgenerating device 4. A preferred way is to apply adequate heatconduction media such as thermal grease between the heated plate 20 andthe heat generating device 4. Besides, a wick structure layer 200 can bedisposed on the internal surface of the heated plate 20. The wickstructure layer 200 can be made of metal mesh or sintered powder.

The stretchable tube 21 can be a flexible or an elastic tube body withan enclosed edge. The flexible tube body with the enclosed edge can be abellow. The elastic tube body with the enclosed edge can be a springtube. In the current embodiment of the present invention, thestretchable tube 21 has a deformed segment 210 to be stretchable tochange its length (lengthen or shorten), a first end opening 211, and asecond end opening 212. The first end opening 211 and the second endopening 212 are individually formed at two ends of the deformed segment210. The first end opening 211 is for disposing the heated plate 20 ofthe stretchable heated member 2 such that the heated plate 20 is sealedto the first end opening 211. At least one throughhole 101 is disposedon the base 100 of the lower plate 10 of the plate-shaped shell 1 andcommunicates with the cavity 12. The second end opening 212 is sealedlyconnected to the at least one throughhole 101. The number of the atleast one throughhole 101 corresponds to that of the at least onestretchable heated member 2.

Therefore, by means of the above assembled structure, a vapor chamberstructure having a stretchable heated part of the present invention isobtained.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stretchable heated member 2 of thepresent invention can deform through the flexibility or elasticity ofthe stretchable tube 21 such that the heated plate 20 of each individualstretchable heated member 2 can fit and contact the heat generatingdevices 4, 4′, 4″ at different elevations. As a result, a single vaporchamber can perform heat exchange for many heat generating devices 4,4′, 4″ at the same time. Also, as for the case of a single heatgenerating device 4′ (e.g., the elevation of the heat generating device4′ is too low and the plate-shaped shell 1 of the vapor chamber isawkward to lower its elevation to fit due to the surrounding electronicdevices.), the stretchable tube 21 of the stretchable heated member 2can be extended downward to successfully contact the surface of the heatgenerating device 4′ with the plate-shaped shell 1 remaining at theoriginal elevation of installation.

Besides, the vapor chamber of the present invention not only providesthe stretchable heated member 2 to fit the elevation of the heatgenerating device 4 by means of flexible deformation, but also furthercomprises at least one capillary structure assembly 3 to ensure theworking fluid in the vapor chamber can flow back efficiently. Forexample, the present invention in vertical operation is shown in FIG. 4.The number and locations of the stretchable heated members 2 can bedisposed depending on those of the heat generating devices 4 in a realsituation, but the minimal number of stretchable heated members 2 isone. The capillary structure assembly 3 is disposed in the stretchableheated member 2 correspondingly and particularly disposed between thestretchable heated member 2 and the plate-shaped shell 1. The capillarystructure assembly 3 comprises a plurality of capillary structures 30,31 which are floatingly connected to one another and are in turnconnected between the stretchable heated member 2 and the plate-shapedshell 1 in which when the length of the stretchable heated member 2changes, the capillary structure assembly 3 can move to fit thecorresponding connection location by means of the mutual connection ofcapillary structures 30, 31. In the current embodiment of the presentinvention, the capillary structures 30, 31 are grouped into a firstcapillary structure 30 and a second capillary structure 31. A connectinghole 300 is disposed in the first capillary structure 30. The connectinghole 300 can be a throughhole penetrating through the first capillarystructure 30 or a blind hole penetrating into the first capillarystructure 30. The connecting hole 300 is used for the second capillarystructure 31 to be sleeved into the connecting hole 300 such that thefirst capillary structure 30 and the second capillary structure 31 arefloatingly connected to each other. Further, the first capillarystructure 30 is disposed on the internal surface of the heated plate 20of the stretchable heated member 2 and is connected to the wickstructure layer 200 on the internal surface of the heated plate 20. Thesecond capillary structure 31 is disposed on the internal wall of theupper plate 11. In this way, as shown in FIG. 5, the vapor chamber ofthe present invention in non-horizontal operation can also be connectedindeed between the stretchable heated member 2 and the plate-shapedshell 1 through the capillary structure assembly 3 in combination withthe stretchable heated member 2 to ensure the working fluid in the vaporchamber can flow back efficiently to the wick structure layer 200 on theheated plate 20 of the stretchable heated member 2. Therefore, thepresent invention can avoid the working fluid from failing to flow backdue to some external factor such as the weight of the working fluid andprevent the vapor chamber from drying out to affect the heat transferefficiency.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, to further enhance the surface contactbetween the heated plate 20 of the stretchable heated member 2 and thesurface of the heat generating device 4, an elastic device 22 isdisposed in the stretchable heated member 2 to push against the heatedplate 20 outward. The elastic device 22 can be a compressed spring. Oneend of the compressed spring pushes against the internal surface of theheated plate 20 or the wick structure layer 200 of the heated plate 20.The other end of the compressed spring pushes against the internal wallof the cavity 12 of the plate-shaped shell 1, like in the upper plate11. In this way, the contact effect between the heated plate 20 and thesurface of the heat generating device 4 can be further enhanced by thespring force provided by the elastic device 22.

In summary, the present invention can really achieve the expectedobjective and overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Also, thepresent invention is indeed novel, useful, and non-obvious to bepatentable. Please examine the application carefully and grant it as aformal patent for protecting the rights of the inventor.

The embodiments described above are only preferred ones of the presentinvention and not to limit the claimed scope of the present invention.Therefore, all the equivalent modifications and variations applying thespecification and figures of the present invention should be embraced bythe claimed scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vapor chamber structure comprising: aplate-shaped shell (1) having a hollow interior to form a cavity (12),wherein the plate-shaped shell (1) has a base (100) on which at leastone throughhole (101) is disposed and the at least one throughhole (101)communicates with the cavity (12); and at least one stretchable heatedmember (2) disposed on the base (100) of the plate-shaped shell (1),wherein the at least one stretchable heated member (2) comprises aheated plate (20) and a hollow stretchable tube (21), wherein the heatedplate (20) is sealedly connected to one end of the stretchable tube(21), wherein the at least one throughhole (101) of the plate-shapedshell (1) is sealedly connected to the other end of the stretchable tube(21).
 2. The vapor chamber structure according to claim 1, wherein theplate-shaped shell (1) is formed by stacking a lower plate (10) and anupper plate (11), wherein the cavity (12) is formed between the lowerplate (10) and the upper plate (11).
 3. The vapor chamber structureaccording to claim 1, wherein an internal wall of the cavity (12) isprovided with a wick structure layer (120).
 4. The vapor chamberstructure according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable tube (21) is aflexible or an elastic tube body with an enclosed edge.
 5. The vaporchamber structure according to claim 4, wherein the flexible tube bodywith the enclosed edge is a bellow.
 6. The vapor chamber structureaccording to claim 4, wherein the elastic tube body with the enclosededge is a spring tube.
 7. The vapor chamber structure according to claim1, wherein the stretchable tube (21) has a deformed segment (210), afirst end opening (211), and a second end opening (212), wherein thefirst end opening (211) and the second end opening (212) areindividually formed at two ends of the deformed segment (210), whereinthe first end opening (211) is for sealing the heated plate (20) and thesecond end opening (212) is sealedly connected to the at least onethroughhole (101).
 8. The vapor chamber structure according to claim 1,wherein an elastic device (22) is disposed in the at least onestretchable heated member (2) to push against the heated plate (20)outward.
 9. The vapor chamber structure according to claim 1, furthercomprising a capillary structure assembly (3) having a plurality ofcapillary structures (30, 31) which are floatingly connected to oneanother and are in turn connected between the at least one stretchableheated member (2) and the plate-shaped shell (1).
 10. The vapor chamberstructure according to claim 9, wherein the capillary structures (30,31) are grouped into a first capillary structure (30) and a secondcapillary structure (31), wherein a connecting hole (300) is disposed inthe first capillary structure (30), wherein the second capillarystructure (31) is sleeved into the connecting hole (300) such that thefirst capillary structure (30) and the second capillary structure (31)are floatingly connected to each other.
 11. The vapor chamber structureaccording to claim 10, wherein a wick structure layer (200) is disposedon an internal surface of the heated plate (20), wherein the firstcapillary structure (30) is disposed on the internal surface of theheated plate (20) and is connected to the wick structure layer (200) onthe internal surface of the heated plate (20).
 12. The vapor chamberstructure according to claim 10, wherein the connecting hole (300) is athroughhole or a blind hole.